1. Field of the Invention
The field of the present invention is helmets principally used by a motorcycle rider or the like, and more particularly, improvements in helmets of the type comprising a cap body and a shield plate pivotally mounted at left and right opposite ends on the cap body for pivotal movement between a closed position in which an opening in a front face of the cap body is closed and an opened position in which the opening in the front face is opened.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is a conventionally known helmet of this type, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open No. 115033/88.
In the prior art helmet, however, even when the shield plate is in a non-service opened position, it is exposed to the outside of the cap body and hence, there is a possibility that the shield plate may be damaged by contact with any external object.
As a helmet of such type, there is also known one comprising closure retaining members attached respectively to outer surfaces of opposite sides of the cap body for retaining the shield plate at the closed position. Each retaining member clamps corresponding one of side edges of the shield plate (see Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open No. 87123/89).
In the above prior art helmet, however, each closure retaining member cannot be shifted in opening and closing directions of the shield plate. This results in a disadvantage that when it is required to adjust the closed position of the shield plate with relation to the opening in the front face of the cap body. The adjustment cannot be effected.
Further, there is also known a conventional helmet of such type, comprising a visor detachably pivotally mounted on the cap body with a front edge projecting forwardly from the cap body, and an adjusting means provided between the cap body and the visor for adjusting the mounting position of the visor in a longitudinal or front and rear direction of the cap body. In this case, the adjusting means is formed to have a body integrally provided on the visor of the helmet and fixed to the cap body by a fixing element (see Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open No. 53340/89).
The adjusting means is required for changing the mounting position of the visor in the longitudinal direction of the cap body to deal with flapping of the visor by travelling wind, shading of the sunlight, insurance of wide view and the like.
In general, the visor and cap body are liable to be soiled. When the inner surface of the visor, the front wall of the cap body covered by the visor or the like is to be cleaned, the visor is removed from the cap body, because it is difficult to clean the front wall or the like, if the visor remains attached to the cap body. In the above prior art helmet, however, the adjusting means must be also removed together with the visor from the cap body, additionally, there is no means for positioning the fixing element on the body. Accordingly, after cleaning, the mounting position of the visor must be adjusted once again in reattachment of the visor.